


Oh, What a Night

by MycroftFeels



Category: The World's End (2013)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Gen, Genderbending, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Recovery, Sexswap, Sobriety
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-25
Updated: 2014-11-25
Packaged: 2018-02-27 01:10:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2673248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MycroftFeels/pseuds/MycroftFeels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Andy’s office Christmas party is the perfect excuse for Gaby to finally get out of the house and have some proper fun. Thing is, she needs to figure out how to do it while not breaking her sobriety (This fic is set in an AU in which, after the main events of the movie, everything went back to normal)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Oh, What a Night

“Gaby, you really don’t _have_ to go, it’s just a silly Christmas office party...” Andy stared worryingly at her from behind her shoulder as she finished up her make-up.

 

“Are you kidding me? Of course I have to go, I fucking _need_ to get out of this house for once.” She checked that everything was all right and gave her reflection a red-lipped smile before turning around to face Andy and dedicate that same smile to her. “I haven’t done anything fun in ages, I’m fucking glad you’re taking me.”

 

Andy didn’t smile back. “You know everyone there’s gonna be drinking, don’t you?”

 

Gaby made a dismissive noise as she packed her cigarettes in her purse. “Relax, it’s no big deal. Aren’t you always going on and on about how great I am doing?” she threw her arms open dramatically “I’m fucking queen of recovery.”

 

“I’m trying to be reassuring. That you’re doing well doesn’t mean you should throw yourself into dangerous situations.”

 

But Gaby was already walking to the door. “ _Dangerous!_ ” she said mocking her tone. _“_ You’re way too dramatic, Andy” she said turning to walk out the door with her coat swishing behind her.

 

-

 

As soon as they walked through the door, Gaby may have begun second guessing herself. The place was packed with people, and not one of them was without a glass in their hand. Everywhere she looked there were waiters with trays covered with sleek glasses of champagne, smiley bartenders behind shiny black counters pouring vodka and rum and gin into cocktail shakers, men and women giggling with their pints of beer shining underneath the coloured lights. To say her stomach was in a knot would have been an understatement.

 

“You all right?” Andy’s voice got her out of her stupor.

 

“Yeah! Fine.” She smiled, but she couldn’t quite manage to maintain it for long. “I’m gonna go sit down for a bit, I’m still breaking into these shoes.” She pointed to her DMs with a frown. They were an early Christmas present from Andy, for ‘doing so well’ she had said. Now Gaby felt like she would be giving them back real soon.

Andy looked concerned but didn’t say a word as Gaby walked to the nearest counter and sat down with a sigh.  

 

Gaby thought the bartender gave her a funny look when she ordered tea, but it may have just been her imagination. He served her with a smile, however, and she was beginning to actually feel a bit better. Well, that is, until he poured a pint and placed it right besides her on the counter. Oh, great, just what she needed right know.

 

“Who is that for?” she said, pouring approximately three tons of sugar into her tea.

The bartender maintained his dorky smile as he replied. “Oh, some guy ordered it and then headed for the toilet.”

 

Awesome. Fantastic. Just lovely. She bit her lip and tried to focus on her cup of tea, instead of on the cold, gold, bitter piece of heaven sitting beside her. It wasn’t really working. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the condensation drops sliding down the glass and falling onto the wood of the counter.

 

_It’s gonna get warm if someone doesn’t drink it soon._

She fiddled with the string of her tea bag and tried to sing along with the music they were playing.

 

_It’s gonna go flat too, isn’t it?_

Shit. She gave in and looked at it with longing eyes.

 

_This guy could take forever to come back. Maybe he’s not coming back, even._

She turned around and looked around the place. Andy was nowhere to be seen. But she was fine, she was fine! Perfectly fine. She did not want to drink that pint, no sir, not her. She was... fine.

 

_Would a sip really hurt?_

Holy shit. Tea. Tea was good, right? Her tea tasted great, this tea she was drinking was the best tea she had ever had. Hell yeah, motherfucking tea.

She sighed. She felt like she was gonna cry. This wasn’t supposed to be so difficult, was it? She had been doing this for almost two months now, when was it gonna stop being so fucking hard?

 

_Two months is a long time, you know? You deserve it. It’ll be just this once, no one has to know._

Gaby whimpered and covered her face with her hands.

 

_No one has to know._

Where was Andy anyway? She looked around again, and again couldn’t spot her anywhere. Well, that was horrible of her really. What was she thinking, leaving Gaby alone there, with free booze lying around? What did she think was gonna happen, really? Honestly, if Gaby didn’t stay sober that night, it was obvious who was to blame...

She slid her hand over the counter until the tips of her fingers touched the cold glass of the pint. Before she knew it, her fingers were curling and closing up on the handle. Her heart skipped a beat. This was wrong, this was so fucking wrong. She gave a gentle pull. She could almost taste the beer sliding down her throat. She swallowed.

Just then, a figure flopped down on the seat besides her. Her hand snapped open and let go of the handle, going back to grab her cup of tea in less than a blink. The man at her side dedicated her an ample smile as he took the pint in his hand.

 

“Great party, huh?”

 

Gaby didn’t think she quite managed a smile. She just nodded and made a sound that went a bit like “Uh-huh” while she focused on trying not to murder the guy right then and there.

As she did that, he raised his glass and took it to his mouth. She wanted to look away, but couldn’t. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest.

Suddenly, there was a finger tapping on her shoulder. She was so startled she couldn’t contain a “Holy shit!” and a little jump. When she turned, she was met with Andy’s face.

 

“Sorry it took me so long, there was a queue for the loo... What’s going on?”

 

Andy had just noticed what Gaby had been staring at. Her apologetic smile quickly mutated to a seriously concerned look.

 

“Nothing!” she said in a too-high pitch.

 

Andy sighed. “Gaby, let’s just go home.”

 

Gaby laughed in a huff. “I’m fine!”

 

“You’re sweating through your clothes!” Gaby was about to make excuses, but Andy continued talking. “Your hands are shaking like fucking maracas” she sighed again. “Gaby, you don’t have to be all right all the time you know? If you’re not ready for this, then you’re just not ready, and that’s ok. I’m sorry I brought you here in the first place, mate. I shouldn’t have.” Andy placed a hand on Gaby’s smaller one and pressed her lips into a tight smile. “Do you wanna go home?”

 

Gaby scratched the back of her head nervously, looking onto her lap. “Yes, please.”

 

Andy’s smile became a bit more authentic, and Gaby hopped off her seat while grabbing onto her shoulder for balance.  

 

“Andy?” Gaby muttered, as they headed for the door.

 

“Yeah?”

 

Gaby kept looking straight ahead, as if she were about to say something really consequential. “Can we go get ice cream on the way home?”

 

Andy actually had to make an effort not to chuckle. “As much as you want, mate.”


End file.
